Broadband Emmys Blocked

An arbitration panel has halted the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ plans to launch a bevy of new Broadband Emmy awards.

Instead, the panel sided with the Los Angeles-based Academy of TV Arts and Sciences, which had accused its New York rivals of attempting to establish a new Emmy infrastructure without permission.

As a result, NATAS has also been forced to back off plans to award Broadband Emmys in categories such as comedy or drama, and scrap a previously announced deal with MySpace to hand out awards.

“This is a resounding victory for our Television Academy and duly establishes that NATAS’ misguided actions were clearly inappropriate,” said outgoing ATAS chairman-CEO Dick Askin. “The ruling is a confirmation that NATAS was in violation of our existing agreement and must cease and desist on any future violations of any unauthorized usage of the prestigious Emmy Award and brand without our approval.”